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Bakersfield police investigate a crash Saturday afternoon on Gosford Road, just south of Stockdale Highway, that killed David Aggio, 54, of Rohnert Park. Witnesses told police the car that hit Aggio's SUV had been speeding. Police said drugs are a factor in the collision.

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BY RUTH BROWN Californian staff writer rbrown@bakersfield.com

David Aggio and his wife were out for a late Saturday morning drive in his blue Ford Explorer. He'd come down from Rohnert Park to visit because she was temporarily working in Bakersfield.

Traveling in the northbound lane of Gosford Road about 11:50 a.m., the 54-year-old Aggio may have never seen the southbound white Honda Civic that crashed into his door with such ferocity it killed him instantly and tore off the smaller's car front end.

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Police said Rodolfo Contreras, 22, the driver of the Civic, lost control of his car as he crossed Stockdale Highway and struck the raised center divider, sending him into Aggio's SUV. Witnesses reported he was speeding.

Police said drugs are suspected as a factor in the crash.

According to Kern County Superior Court documents, this may not be Contreras' first run-in with police.

In 2012, a Rodolfo Alberto Contreras, born in 1991, was arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance, felony transporting a controlled substance and driving without a license, an infraction.

The transporting charge was dismissed, the possession charge was deferred and Contreras pleaded no contest to driving without a license, according to the records.

Aggio's ex-wife, Kandace Millhouse of Rohnert Park, the mother of Aggio's two children, Kayla, 20, and Julian, 24, said he was an amazing father.

"He was the kind of man that was always there for his children," Millhouse said. "His children were No. 1 and he never missed games," driving thousands of miles over the years to watch them compete.

Both kids wrestled. Julian also played football before joining the Navy. He's studying medicine at California State University-Chico. Kayla was a two-time All-Empire Wrestler of the Year in Sonoma County and now wrestles for Oklahoma City University.

"(Kayla's) dad was her rock when it came to wrestling," Millhouse said. "She's been kicking butt down in Oklahoma ever since."

Aggio worked as a parole officer for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and was retired but still worked as a part-time agent.

"Even his parolees had so much respect for him," Millhouse said. "He didn't judge people, but he wanted them to do well."

Aggio's wife sustained minor injuries in the accident.

Contreras also suffered minor injuries. The driver and passenger in a Toyota 4Runner struck by debris declined medical attention.

As of Sunday, no criminal charges had been filed in the case. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call BPD Officer Nicolas Gospich at 326-3967.

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